Inappropriate coverage

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I refer to your front-page story of January 29 headlined, 'Drunken pirates sing pop hit as they head for firing squad.' The story was accompanied by pictures showing these pirates being taken to their place of execution.

They had been sentenced to death for murdering 23 crew members on board a Hong Kong-registered vessel and before being executed were given food and 'a large amount of rice wine'.

Reading your report made me wonder - did the pirates show as much compassion for their victims before murdering them? I think not.

I hope also that relatives of the murdered loved ones and family breadwinners were not subjected to the anguish of seeing the laughing, drunken faces of their murderers plastered over the front page of your newspaper.

Capital punishment is an issue worth covering. Sensationalism and mockery are not.